November 27, 2024 • 30 mins
Our special host this week, 97.1 WASH-FM Midday Host Jenni Chase spoke with Program Manager for the National Capital Area Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Laura Byer, as well as Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, Cindy Schelhorn, about memory loss and how the holiday season can be especially difficult for disease sufferers and their caregivers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we thank
you for listening to this iHeartRadio station. Jenny Chase here,
joined once again by one of my good friends from
the Alzheimer's Association, the National Capital Area chapter. Laura Byer
is program manager, and we've got a lot to talk
about today.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Laura, Hi, hi there.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you so much, Jenny, and happy holidays for you.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Before we get into all of our topics for this morning,
I would be remiss if I did not thank you
all again for having me out at the Northern Virginia
Alzheimer's Walk back in rest in a few weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
It was really amazing to be there.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I had shared that my father had passed away recently
and one of the things that he was suffering from
was dementia and early Alzheimer's. So meant a lot to
me to be there and to my family. So just
want to say thank you again so much.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh, thank you. I was there as well, and we
loved having you, and thank you for being there and
honoring your dad and your.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Family as anyone.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I mean, I don't have to say this anybody who
is living with an elderly person with Alzheimer's. We all
know how heartbreaking it is. It is extremely difficult to watch.
To that point, it is often called a family disease. Laura,
can you tell me how many people in our country
today not just to have Alzheimer's but also are serving
(01:27):
as caregivers?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Absolutely so, today, in the United States alone, there are
seven million people who are suffering with Alzheimer's and dementia,
and in addition to that, there are more than eleven
(01:50):
million family members and friends who are providing unpaid care
for people with Alzheimer's and other dementia. You know, a
third of caregivers are sixty five or older.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
That was my Yeah, that was my stepmom's case when
it came to taking care of my dad.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yet and a quarter are actually people who we refer
to as being part of the Sandwich generation.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
What is they are? I've not heard of that term before.
What does that mean?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So somebody in the Sandwich generation is carrying both for
children who are living with them and for older parents.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
They have it basically, if you will, on both ends
of the spectrum. They're taking care of children and they're
serving as a caretaker for their parents. These folks are
pulling double duty. I cannot even imagine the strain that
they feel. Is it fair to say that A lot
of these and just because I know how we as
women are a lot of these are women caretakers.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Absolutely two thirds are women. And excuse me, over at
third are the adult daughters like you and I, and
they are working hard and they're also actually working. However,
you know, many of these caregivers and uh, you know,
(03:25):
sixty percent were employed wildcare giving. And what happens, as
you know, is the twenty percent or a fifth go
end up going from full time to.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Part time employment.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, there's a big loss of income.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I was very lucky my when I was taking care
of my mom and she did not have Alzheimer's, bless
her heart, but I mean there were there were a
lot of other pieces. I mean, she had so many
health issues and we went from hospital to rehab at
a nursing home to your assisted living. I mean, we
moved around all the time because we could not get
(04:04):
her where she was comfortable and where she was getting
what she needed. And I did it, you know, without
any reservation. But I was trying to juggle all that
and a full time job. Thankfully, My company was so
generous with me, gave me so much leeway, and I
had friends who helped out, friends who were retired or
for whatever reason, you know, weren't working at the time.
(04:27):
I could not have done it without them saying, yeah,
let me step in, I can drive her to this appointment,
or I can go pick up those medications for you.
So but to not have that, I just it's unfathomable
how anybody can do it.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It is And just as a reminder, the Alzheimer's Association
has a twenty four to seven toll free support line
a helpline, and that number is eight hundred two seven
to thirty nine hundred. Anybody can call at any time
(05:04):
and get not only support, but information about you whatever
you might need, a referral to a local chapter so
that you can find the resources that you need.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
For your loved one.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
And you know, one thing we talked about the physical toll,
the mental toll that it takes, but also the financial aspect.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Can you expand on that a little bit?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yes, it is so expensive unfortunately, so we know that
once somebody has a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or other dementia,
that they're going to live four to eight years, but
possibly as long as twenty years.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I remember, yeah, when my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's,
they said it could be a few years, it could
be a decade or longer.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It's a lot to wrap your brain around.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It sure is. And we know that the total lifetime
cost of care is estimated right now to be about
four hundred thousand dollars, and you know, seventy percent of
those costs are born by family caregivers through out of
pocket expenses.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I again, I remember. I don't
mean to bring it back to me, but I just
I was in those shoes. It was like my mom
wanted she didn't have her funds anymore. Of course, she
had some insurance, but she didn't like the snacks they
were serving where she was staying.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So I would go to the grocery store. I would.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know, sometimes I had to pay for her medication
out of pocket, and it really added up.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It was.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It was one of the most stressful periods of my life.
So I just I'm sharing that because anybody who was
going through that, I just want you to know how
much how much I empathize, empathize, and I get the strain,
I really do.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, it's so difficult, and often are times when you
want your loved one to have somebody with them to
be an advocate, and there are times that people can't
be there. So obviously there are lots of ways to
do that. But you're lucky that you had family friends
(07:20):
who were able to step up and assist.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, I was very blessed. I remain grateful to this day.
You know again, I see a stat here that you
guys shared with me. Seventy percent of dementia caregivers specifically
say that coordinating care is stressful. But I would imagine
that that the number is very high no matter what
type of illness your elderly person.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Has, right, it is so much for one person to
sort of oversee and manage. And what ends up happening
is the caregiver typically puts off their own doctor appointments
because they are focused on their loved one. And we
(08:03):
know that that has you know, poor outcomes, and it's
very important for caregivers to manage their own stress.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
You know, it's funny that you bring that up, Laura,
because you know, so my dad died back in July,
and and my stepmom has mentioned many times how much
you know, she was putting off her all of her
doctor's appointments so they could focus on my dad and
getting him what he needed. And now she is playing
ketchup and unfortunately, you know that that lack of care
that she put towards herself for so long, you know,
(08:38):
it's it's problematic. And so when it comes to high
levels of stress, what are the symptoms that caregivers need
to be really being on the lookout for, really be
aware of.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
They need to be aware of, you know, any anger
that they might feel with the person with Alzheimer's, or
frustration that they are no longer able to do the
things that they once were able to do, and understand
that although it's difficult, understand that the person is doing
(09:10):
their best and if they could do these things they would,
but they're just no longer able. We see caregivers who
you know, have high levels of anxiety and depression and exhaustion,
and we know that untreated anxiety and depression and exhaustion
(09:34):
are things that will lead the caregiver themselves to be
more likely to have other illnesses. So it's very important
to take care of that.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
So my mom died, gosh, fourteen years ago, but to
this day I have, you know, regrets and guilt about
what I did and didn't do for her. And so
many times I've heard this saying, you yourself the caregiver.
You have to stay in good shape otherwise you can't
be a caregiver.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So like you've absolutely on your maths.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Exactly just like on an airplane, you can't help somebody
if you don't have your own oxygen mask on first,
the same type of situation for anyone caring for an
elderly you know, sick parent.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
It is. And you know, please, Jenny, you and your
audience members know that your loved one was so lucky
to have you as a you know, as a daughter
and as somebody helping to care for them. And we
all do the best that we can in the moment,
(10:43):
and that's all we can do, and your loved one
just so appreciates that. And don't be hard on.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yourself, because now you're going to make me cry.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I've pared for my parents as well. They neither had
Alzheimer's CIRCUMMENTA. But it is an act of love, and
you know, you know that you wouldn't have it any
other way, but we can only do you know what
we're able to do?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, at that time, Laura, thank you. We are talking
with Laura Buyer, program manager for the National Capital Area
Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Let's talk about support or
lack thereof from family members and friends.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
What can I you know?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Unfortunately, let's not use me as the example, because sadly
both my parents are now gone, But what can what
can families and friends do to help?
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Where can they start?
Speaker 2 (11:44):
You know, what's the first thing when it comes to
caring for someone in this tough situation.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
So one thing is that the caregiver needs to be
able to ask for help. So hard to do and
that's really important. But you know, the people can provide
support by learning about the disease. Look at our website
(12:13):
www dot ALC dot org and learn about Alzheimer's and
dementia so that you understand that it is okay if
somebody no longer recognizes who you are, that you when
(12:34):
you come over to assist that you'll look the person
in the eye and say, Hi, I'm Laura, how are
you today? And then ask, you know, the family, what
can I do? Can I do you have a to do,
list of errands that you need run that I can
(12:56):
do for you. Do you can I come over for
a couple of hours and just sit with your loved
one and uh while you take a little break, you know,
can I cook you a meal? Or Hi, I'm going
to the store and I would really love if you
(13:17):
would let me know what I could pick up for you.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
It's yeah, I mean, it's sometimes the little things that
seem so magnificant, so so insignificant, but they are massive
when you're when you're in that situation and you are
providing care to one of your family members.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Right, can you offer to take the loved one to
a doctor's appointment and you know, write down note anything
like that is just so useful and kind and helpful.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Well, and it's especially hard, Laura, this time of year.
We already a lot of people are let's okay, let's
let's face it. A lot of people are stressed all
throughout the year. The holiday season adds a whole other
level of that because we're trying to do so much,
you know, for so many When you're a caregiver, this
can be a really difficult time. So what tips do
(14:12):
you have this time of year for caregivers and anyone
else to help everyone just you know, have the best
holiday possible.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's a great question. I think that one thing that
would be useful is for the you know, the caregiver
to have a conversation with loved ones to talk about, uh,
perhaps moving any plans to celebrate and eat together earlier
(14:43):
in the day, right so that it's not getting dark out,
because we know that the evening is a difficult time,
uh for those with dementia or alzheimer. We know that
a lot of new people and loud noise can also
(15:03):
be difficult. So with respect to a a Christmas tree,
may be no blinking lights because that can.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Be difficult for people.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Also, what is difficult is to let people know, you know,
when they come over. Please don't be offended. If my
dad no longer recognizes you, just go ahead and introduce
yourself and interact. And then another thing is it is
(15:38):
very difficult to depending on the stage that somebody is in,
when you start to discuss plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas,
and that can be very stressful for somebody who is
suffering with these you know, brain diseases. So better not
(16:02):
to talk about upcoming plans, okay, and just to be
in the moment, have people come when they come.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Yeah, I didn't even think. I didn't even think you
meant that.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, that how that can be overwhelming when you tell
us when you say we're going here, then we're going there,
then we're doing this. I mean like, that's that's too much.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Right, And know that it's better for people to come
to you.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Sure it can be.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
You know, off putting for people with Alzheimer's and dementia
to go a lot of different places.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
As things with my dad were progressing, I just he he,
it was rare that he wanted to leave the house.
So yeah, So that that is a huge consideration, absolutely,
But there.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Are tasks that can you know that somebody can do
that they can feel engaged in the holiday. They could
he you know, step the table, they could make uh
you know, with some assistance, maybe plays cards and know
(17:12):
that music is always something for people with Alzheimer's and
dementia that is familiar to them and you can just
see them light up when an old an old song
is being played.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I my mom's favorite was was and again she did
not suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia. But as she was
leaving us, her favorite was always Elvis.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So I got a.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Little you know, Walkman, a CD Walkman, and some headphones
and she listened to Elvis a lot. And so now
whenever whenever I hear Elvis, and whenever you know, wasch
f M plays plays Elvis at Christmas time, it just
it takes me right back. Music is so healing and
so therapeutic for so many people. So that is a
great suggestion.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Also, you know, things like putting lotion on somebody, touch
and smell are also great ways to you know, help
somebody feel better and to communicate.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
You guys have a web page specifically designed for gift giving,
so I want to make sure we throw out the
website once again. It's alz dot org. To buy a
gift for a loved one who is suffering from a
memory lost ailment.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
There is an area under under the holidays talking. It's
exactly where we talk about getting through the holidays, and
we have a specific gift list. Okay, gift ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
That is that is so super helpful. You guys at
the Alzheimer's Association Association, you have resources year round. We
touched on it before, but I want to reiterate how
you can help us during this time of year, the
holiday season.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
So know again that our helpline is available twenty four
to seven and even is available to speak in two
hundred different languages. That provides support to troubleshoot with challenging behaviors.
That number is one eight hundred two seven to thirty
(19:29):
nine hundred.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Okay, that's and that's around that's around the clock, twenty
four to seven, three sixty five. If something something happens,
say Christmas afternoon, we can call that number and get
some assistance.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Absolutely, and we also do programming throughout the community. And
I have been to those sessions where people have stood
up and talked about how invaluable the helpline is.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Yeah, we also have.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Support groups and throughout the DMV. A lot of them
are virtual, but those are available by coming to our website,
which is www dot ALC dot org, forward slash and
c A for our national Capital Area.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Laura, We've talked about so much, and thank you for
your knowledge. You know, the website is amazing. I have
relied on it. My dad did not ultimately pass from Alzheimer's,
but he did suffer for the last the last year
pretty pretty terribly, and you know it was it was
something we dealt with for the last several years. We
want to eradicate this disease. What can our listeners do,
(20:46):
Laura in the fight.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
They can join us for our walks. Our walks are
in the fall, and as you know, and so they
are finished for now. However, we can always use people
to make a team and help us with the walks.
(21:11):
They can also go on our website and look, we
have a we have a fundraiser called the Longest Day TLD,
and that is a fundraising activity that occurs all year
but also during the summer solstice, and people can organize
(21:32):
with their friends and family to do any sort of
activity that they are interested in, you know, a pickleball tournament,
a bake sale, and just raise awareness and raise funds
so that we can use these dollars to continue to research.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
You're always in need of volunteers, correct.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
That's right, we are. We have all kinds of ways
that volunteers, you know, we're our community education programs are
led by volunteers. So if there are people out there
who are interested in other ways to volunteer, they should
(22:17):
definitely contact the eight hundred number one eight hundred two
seven to thirty nine hundred and.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Or go to our.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Website www dot alz dot org, forward slash NCA and
sign up to be a volunteer and we'll reach out
and talk about the many ways that we can put
them to work so that we can, you know, help
others in the community.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
The thing to stress is that you know, nobody is
alone in the fight against this. You guys are there
and you're just invaluable and we can't thank you enough. Laura,
is there anything else you'd like to add?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Just you know, know that those with Alzheimer's and dementia
are trying their very best and they're still people that
are feeling and understand emotions although they might not be
able to articulate themselves. And a huge thank you to
(23:24):
all the caregivers and those who support us.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
While we're on this subject, this morning, I wanted to
bring back something that I had spoken to the senior
director of Communications and Marketing for the Alzheimer's Association about.
Cindy Shelhorne explained the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's for.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
USI that's a great question, and we are free. Well
frequently asked that. So, think about dementia as an umbrella term.
It is a term for the loss of memory and
other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with
our daily life. And so under the umbrella of dementia,
(24:02):
sixty to eighty percent of those are Alzheimer's disease. But
there are other things that can cause dementia. We know
that there is something called vascular dementia. We hear about
people who have many strokes and after that experience some
form of cognitive impairment. We're also hearing a lot in
the news now about other types of dementia like Louis
(24:25):
body or fronto temporal, and we've heard about these through
celebrities who step forward and share their stories, like Bruce
Willis or Robin Williams. There are other types of dementia,
and someone that we now know is called mixed dementia,
where you actually may have more than one kind of
dementia at the same time.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Alma I didn't know that that was even a thing.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Well.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Absolutely, If you think of someone who's living with Alzheimer's
disease and they happen to have a stroke, they very
likely could also have some dementia that has caused due
to their vascular issues. When we here people who say
we're seeing something in what should we do? We talk
to them about recognizing the warning size and the disease,
but more importantly about going to a physician, going to
(25:10):
your primary care provider with your loved one and saying,
these are some things that we are seeing. Let's talk
about this. And not everyone who's experiencing memory issues has dementia.
There may be some causes that are actually reversible. We know,
for example, that many people are taking medications, lots of
(25:32):
medications when you get older. Sometimes those medications may not
interact well with one another and may cause some confusion.
We know that very often the elderly are not eating well,
so there may be thyroid deficiencies or vitamin deficiencies. Those
are things that a doctor can make an assessment of
and determine whether it's something that might be able to
(25:53):
be treated.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Cindy, can we talk about the hereditary factor for a moment,
kids of parents with Alzheimer's? For example, I'm a middle
aged person. Should I be worried already?
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Not yet? Don't worry yet. But there are some things
that we want to talk about, Jenny, and those are
the things that may impact the risk of developing cognitive
decline or dementia. First of all, there are some things
that we cannot change, and we call those non modifiable
risk factors, and one of those is age. We cannot
(26:25):
change the fact that we are going to get older.
What we do know is that age is the greatest
risk factor and that by the time you're sixty five,
you probably are looking at a one in nine chance
of developing the disease. By the time you're eighty five,
it's a one in three chance. But there are other
things that you also cannot change, and that is your
(26:46):
genetic makeup, your race, your ethnicity, your sex, your gender.
For example, we know that African Americans are twice as
likely to develop the disease as our older white Americans.
Hispanic Latine is one and a half times more likely women.
Two out of every three people living with the disease
is a woman. So those are things we know that
(27:08):
we can't change. But there are some things that we
know can be addressed, and those are what we call
modifiable risk factors. A lot of what you'll hear is
what's good for the heart is good for the head,
and so we know that it's important to exercise. We
know that it's important to watch your diet. We know
that the Mediterranean diet and the Dash diet are good models.
(27:30):
They're working well in deally with heart disease and diabetes.
They also work well in the development of cognitive decline.
Because it's like I said, what's good for the heart
is good for the head. So we look at cognitive
and social engagement. We know that it's good for people
to be around other people, and so we want people
(27:52):
to do that. But there are some things that we
don't necessarily think of that are very, very important that
may impact risk education. And this is beyond just saying
I'm going to do saduko or crossword puzzles to help
keep my brain active.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Right I, what's going to ask you about that?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Yeah, this is actual formal education. We want people to
continue to learn to do new things. So challenge yourself.
If you've never played the violin, try to learn the violin.
If you've never learned a language, go out and try
to learn a new language. There have actually been research
studies that have looked all the way back to childhood
(28:31):
education and how that has then potentially progressed. People with
lower education levels may be at greater risk of developing
the disease. So you're also looking at environmental factors. If
you live in an area where there is a great
deal of stress, there may be violence, there may be pollution.
All of those may have an impact as well.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
There is a lot of information and details to unpack
when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer's, which is why,
once again, if it's an issue you or a family
member are facing, alz dot Org is the website with
all of the resources. Again, my thanks to Laura Byer
and Cindy Shellhorn from the National Capital Area chapter of
(29:15):
the Alzheimer's Association this morning. Any part of the chapter
this morning that you missed or would like to listen
to again, you'll find it on this station's website. Thank
you very much for listening to this iHeartRadio station and
here's switching you very happy holidays.
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Hello, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we thank
you for listening to this iHeartRadio station. Jenny Chase here,
joined once again by one of my good friends from
the Alzheimer's Association, the National Capital Area chapter. Laura Byer
is program manager, and we've got a lot to talk
about today.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Laura, Hi, hi there.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you so much, Jenny, and happy holidays for you.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Before we get into all of our topics for this morning,
I would be remiss if I did not thank you
all again for having me out at the Northern Virginia
Alzheimer's Walk back in rest in a few weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
It was really amazing to be there.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I had shared that my father had passed away recently
and one of the things that he was suffering from
was dementia and early Alzheimer's. So meant a lot to
me to be there and to my family. So just
want to say thank you again so much.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh, thank you. I was there as well, and we
loved having you, and thank you for being there and
honoring your dad and your.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Family as anyone.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I mean, I don't have to say this anybody who
is living with an elderly person with Alzheimer's. We all
know how heartbreaking it is. It is extremely difficult to watch.
To that point, it is often called a family disease. Laura,
can you tell me how many people in our country
today not just to have Alzheimer's but also are serving
(01:27):
as caregivers?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Absolutely so, today, in the United States alone, there are
seven million people who are suffering with Alzheimer's and dementia,
and in addition to that, there are more than eleven
(01:50):
million family members and friends who are providing unpaid care
for people with Alzheimer's and other dementia. You know, a
third of caregivers are sixty five or older.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
That was my Yeah, that was my stepmom's case when
it came to taking care of my dad.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yet and a quarter are actually people who we refer
to as being part of the Sandwich generation.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
What is they are? I've not heard of that term before.
What does that mean?
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So somebody in the Sandwich generation is carrying both for
children who are living with them and for older parents.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
They have it basically, if you will, on both ends
of the spectrum. They're taking care of children and they're
serving as a caretaker for their parents. These folks are
pulling double duty. I cannot even imagine the strain that
they feel. Is it fair to say that A lot
of these and just because I know how we as
women are a lot of these are women caretakers.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Absolutely two thirds are women. And excuse me, over at
third are the adult daughters like you and I, and
they are working hard and they're also actually working. However,
you know, many of these caregivers and uh, you know,
(03:25):
sixty percent were employed wildcare giving. And what happens, as
you know, is the twenty percent or a fifth go
end up going from full time to.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Part time employment.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, there's a big loss of income.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I was very lucky my when I was taking care
of my mom and she did not have Alzheimer's, bless
her heart, but I mean there were there were a
lot of other pieces. I mean, she had so many
health issues and we went from hospital to rehab at
a nursing home to your assisted living. I mean, we
moved around all the time because we could not get
(04:04):
her where she was comfortable and where she was getting
what she needed. And I did it, you know, without
any reservation. But I was trying to juggle all that
and a full time job. Thankfully, My company was so
generous with me, gave me so much leeway, and I
had friends who helped out, friends who were retired or
for whatever reason, you know, weren't working at the time.
(04:27):
I could not have done it without them saying, yeah,
let me step in, I can drive her to this appointment,
or I can go pick up those medications for you.
So but to not have that, I just it's unfathomable
how anybody can do it.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It is And just as a reminder, the Alzheimer's Association
has a twenty four to seven toll free support line
a helpline, and that number is eight hundred two seven
to thirty nine hundred. Anybody can call at any time
(05:04):
and get not only support, but information about you whatever
you might need, a referral to a local chapter so
that you can find the resources that you need.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
For your loved one.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Well.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
And you know, one thing we talked about the physical toll,
the mental toll that it takes, but also the financial aspect.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Can you expand on that a little bit?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yes, it is so expensive unfortunately, so we know that
once somebody has a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or other dementia,
that they're going to live four to eight years, but
possibly as long as twenty years.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I remember, yeah, when my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's,
they said it could be a few years, it could
be a decade or longer.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
It's a lot to wrap your brain around.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
It sure is. And we know that the total lifetime
cost of care is estimated right now to be about
four hundred thousand dollars, and you know, seventy percent of
those costs are born by family caregivers through out of
pocket expenses.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I again, I remember. I don't
mean to bring it back to me, but I just
I was in those shoes. It was like my mom
wanted she didn't have her funds anymore. Of course, she
had some insurance, but she didn't like the snacks they
were serving where she was staying.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So I would go to the grocery store. I would.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know, sometimes I had to pay for her medication
out of pocket, and it really added up.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It was.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It was one of the most stressful periods of my life.
So I just I'm sharing that because anybody who was
going through that, I just want you to know how
much how much I empathize, empathize, and I get the strain,
I really do.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Yeah, it's so difficult, and often are times when you
want your loved one to have somebody with them to
be an advocate, and there are times that people can't
be there. So obviously there are lots of ways to
do that. But you're lucky that you had family friends
(07:20):
who were able to step up and assist.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah, I was very blessed. I remain grateful to this day.
You know again, I see a stat here that you
guys shared with me. Seventy percent of dementia caregivers specifically
say that coordinating care is stressful. But I would imagine
that that the number is very high no matter what
type of illness your elderly person.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Has, right, it is so much for one person to
sort of oversee and manage. And what ends up happening
is the caregiver typically puts off their own doctor appointments
because they are focused on their loved one. And we
(08:03):
know that that has you know, poor outcomes, and it's
very important for caregivers to manage their own stress.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
You know, it's funny that you bring that up, Laura,
because you know, so my dad died back in July,
and and my stepmom has mentioned many times how much
you know, she was putting off her all of her
doctor's appointments so they could focus on my dad and
getting him what he needed. And now she is playing
ketchup and unfortunately, you know that that lack of care
that she put towards herself for so long, you know,
(08:38):
it's it's problematic. And so when it comes to high
levels of stress, what are the symptoms that caregivers need
to be really being on the lookout for, really be
aware of.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
They need to be aware of, you know, any anger
that they might feel with the person with Alzheimer's, or
frustration that they are no longer able to do the
things that they once were able to do, and understand
that although it's difficult, understand that the person is doing
(09:10):
their best and if they could do these things they would,
but they're just no longer able. We see caregivers who
you know, have high levels of anxiety and depression and exhaustion,
and we know that untreated anxiety and depression and exhaustion
(09:34):
are things that will lead the caregiver themselves to be
more likely to have other illnesses. So it's very important
to take care of that.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
So my mom died, gosh, fourteen years ago, but to
this day I have, you know, regrets and guilt about
what I did and didn't do for her. And so
many times I've heard this saying, you yourself the caregiver.
You have to stay in good shape otherwise you can't
be a caregiver.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So like you've absolutely on your maths.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Exactly just like on an airplane, you can't help somebody
if you don't have your own oxygen mask on first,
the same type of situation for anyone caring for an
elderly you know, sick parent.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
It is. And you know, please, Jenny, you and your
audience members know that your loved one was so lucky
to have you as a you know, as a daughter
and as somebody helping to care for them. And we
all do the best that we can in the moment,
(10:43):
and that's all we can do, and your loved one
just so appreciates that. And don't be hard on.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yourself, because now you're going to make me cry.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I've pared for my parents as well. They neither had
Alzheimer's CIRCUMMENTA. But it is an act of love, and
you know, you know that you wouldn't have it any
other way, but we can only do you know what
we're able to do?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Yeah, at that time, Laura, thank you. We are talking
with Laura Buyer, program manager for the National Capital Area
Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Let's talk about support or
lack thereof from family members and friends.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
What can I you know?
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Unfortunately, let's not use me as the example, because sadly
both my parents are now gone, But what can what
can families and friends do to help?
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Where can they start?
Speaker 2 (11:44):
You know, what's the first thing when it comes to
caring for someone in this tough situation.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
So one thing is that the caregiver needs to be
able to ask for help. So hard to do and
that's really important. But you know, the people can provide
support by learning about the disease. Look at our website
(12:13):
www dot ALC dot org and learn about Alzheimer's and
dementia so that you understand that it is okay if
somebody no longer recognizes who you are, that you when
(12:34):
you come over to assist that you'll look the person
in the eye and say, Hi, I'm Laura, how are
you today? And then ask, you know, the family, what
can I do? Can I do you have a to do,
list of errands that you need run that I can
(12:56):
do for you. Do you can I come over for
a couple of hours and just sit with your loved
one and uh while you take a little break, you know,
can I cook you a meal? Or Hi, I'm going
to the store and I would really love if you
(13:17):
would let me know what I could pick up for you.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
It's yeah, I mean, it's sometimes the little things that
seem so magnificant, so so insignificant, but they are massive
when you're when you're in that situation and you are
providing care to one of your family members.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Right, can you offer to take the loved one to
a doctor's appointment and you know, write down note anything
like that is just so useful and kind and helpful.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Well, and it's especially hard, Laura, this time of year.
We already a lot of people are let's okay, let's
let's face it. A lot of people are stressed all
throughout the year. The holiday season adds a whole other
level of that because we're trying to do so much,
you know, for so many When you're a caregiver, this
can be a really difficult time. So what tips do
(14:12):
you have this time of year for caregivers and anyone
else to help everyone just you know, have the best
holiday possible.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's a great question. I think that one thing that
would be useful is for the you know, the caregiver
to have a conversation with loved ones to talk about, uh,
perhaps moving any plans to celebrate and eat together earlier
(14:43):
in the day, right so that it's not getting dark out,
because we know that the evening is a difficult time,
uh for those with dementia or alzheimer. We know that
a lot of new people and loud noise can also
(15:03):
be difficult. So with respect to a a Christmas tree,
may be no blinking lights because that can.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Be difficult for people.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Also, what is difficult is to let people know, you know,
when they come over. Please don't be offended. If my
dad no longer recognizes you, just go ahead and introduce
yourself and interact. And then another thing is it is
(15:38):
very difficult to depending on the stage that somebody is in,
when you start to discuss plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas,
and that can be very stressful for somebody who is
suffering with these you know, brain diseases. So better not
(16:02):
to talk about upcoming plans, okay, and just to be
in the moment, have people come when they come.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Yeah, I didn't even think. I didn't even think you
meant that.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, that how that can be overwhelming when you tell
us when you say we're going here, then we're going there,
then we're doing this. I mean like, that's that's too much.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Right, And know that it's better for people to come
to you.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Sure it can be.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
You know, off putting for people with Alzheimer's and dementia
to go a lot of different places.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
As things with my dad were progressing, I just he he,
it was rare that he wanted to leave the house.
So yeah, So that that is a huge consideration, absolutely,
But there.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Are tasks that can you know that somebody can do
that they can feel engaged in the holiday. They could
he you know, step the table, they could make uh
you know, with some assistance, maybe plays cards and know
(17:12):
that music is always something for people with Alzheimer's and
dementia that is familiar to them and you can just
see them light up when an old an old song
is being played.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I my mom's favorite was was and again she did
not suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia. But as she was
leaving us, her favorite was always Elvis.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So I got a.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Little you know, Walkman, a CD Walkman, and some headphones
and she listened to Elvis a lot. And so now
whenever whenever I hear Elvis, and whenever you know, wasch
f M plays plays Elvis at Christmas time, it just
it takes me right back. Music is so healing and
so therapeutic for so many people. So that is a
great suggestion.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Also, you know, things like putting lotion on somebody, touch
and smell are also great ways to you know, help
somebody feel better and to communicate.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
You guys have a web page specifically designed for gift giving,
so I want to make sure we throw out the
website once again. It's alz dot org. To buy a
gift for a loved one who is suffering from a
memory lost ailment.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
There is an area under under the holidays talking. It's
exactly where we talk about getting through the holidays, and
we have a specific gift list. Okay, gift ideas.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
That is that is so super helpful. You guys at
the Alzheimer's Association Association, you have resources year round. We
touched on it before, but I want to reiterate how
you can help us during this time of year, the
holiday season.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
So know again that our helpline is available twenty four
to seven and even is available to speak in two
hundred different languages. That provides support to troubleshoot with challenging behaviors.
That number is one eight hundred two seven to thirty
(19:29):
nine hundred.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Okay, that's and that's around that's around the clock, twenty
four to seven, three sixty five. If something something happens,
say Christmas afternoon, we can call that number and get
some assistance.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Absolutely, and we also do programming throughout the community. And
I have been to those sessions where people have stood
up and talked about how invaluable the helpline is.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Yeah, we also have.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Support groups and throughout the DMV. A lot of them
are virtual, but those are available by coming to our website,
which is www dot ALC dot org, forward slash and
c A for our national Capital Area.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Laura, We've talked about so much, and thank you for
your knowledge. You know, the website is amazing. I have
relied on it. My dad did not ultimately pass from Alzheimer's,
but he did suffer for the last the last year
pretty pretty terribly, and you know it was it was
something we dealt with for the last several years. We
want to eradicate this disease. What can our listeners do,
(20:46):
Laura in the fight.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
They can join us for our walks. Our walks are
in the fall, and as you know, and so they
are finished for now. However, we can always use people
to make a team and help us with the walks.
(21:11):
They can also go on our website and look, we
have a we have a fundraiser called the Longest Day TLD,
and that is a fundraising activity that occurs all year
but also during the summer solstice, and people can organize
(21:32):
with their friends and family to do any sort of
activity that they are interested in, you know, a pickleball tournament,
a bake sale, and just raise awareness and raise funds
so that we can use these dollars to continue to research.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
You're always in need of volunteers, correct.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
That's right, we are. We have all kinds of ways
that volunteers, you know, we're our community education programs are
led by volunteers. So if there are people out there
who are interested in other ways to volunteer, they should
(22:17):
definitely contact the eight hundred number one eight hundred two
seven to thirty nine hundred and.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Or go to our.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Website www dot alz dot org, forward slash NCA and
sign up to be a volunteer and we'll reach out
and talk about the many ways that we can put
them to work so that we can, you know, help
others in the community.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
The thing to stress is that you know, nobody is
alone in the fight against this. You guys are there
and you're just invaluable and we can't thank you enough. Laura,
is there anything else you'd like to add?
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Just you know, know that those with Alzheimer's and dementia
are trying their very best and they're still people that
are feeling and understand emotions although they might not be
able to articulate themselves. And a huge thank you to
(23:24):
all the caregivers and those who support us.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
While we're on this subject, this morning, I wanted to
bring back something that I had spoken to the senior
director of Communications and Marketing for the Alzheimer's Association about.
Cindy Shelhorne explained the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's for.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
USI that's a great question, and we are free. Well
frequently asked that. So, think about dementia as an umbrella term.
It is a term for the loss of memory and
other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with
our daily life. And so under the umbrella of dementia,
(24:02):
sixty to eighty percent of those are Alzheimer's disease. But
there are other things that can cause dementia. We know
that there is something called vascular dementia. We hear about
people who have many strokes and after that experience some
form of cognitive impairment. We're also hearing a lot in
the news now about other types of dementia like Louis
(24:25):
body or fronto temporal, and we've heard about these through
celebrities who step forward and share their stories, like Bruce
Willis or Robin Williams. There are other types of dementia,
and someone that we now know is called mixed dementia,
where you actually may have more than one kind of
dementia at the same time.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Alma I didn't know that that was even a thing.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Well.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Absolutely, If you think of someone who's living with Alzheimer's
disease and they happen to have a stroke, they very
likely could also have some dementia that has caused due
to their vascular issues. When we here people who say
we're seeing something in what should we do? We talk
to them about recognizing the warning size and the disease,
but more importantly about going to a physician, going to
(25:10):
your primary care provider with your loved one and saying,
these are some things that we are seeing. Let's talk
about this. And not everyone who's experiencing memory issues has dementia.
There may be some causes that are actually reversible. We know,
for example, that many people are taking medications, lots of
(25:32):
medications when you get older. Sometimes those medications may not
interact well with one another and may cause some confusion.
We know that very often the elderly are not eating well,
so there may be thyroid deficiencies or vitamin deficiencies. Those
are things that a doctor can make an assessment of
and determine whether it's something that might be able to
(25:53):
be treated.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
Cindy, can we talk about the hereditary factor for a moment,
kids of parents with Alzheimer's? For example, I'm a middle
aged person. Should I be worried already?
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Not yet? Don't worry yet. But there are some things
that we want to talk about, Jenny, and those are
the things that may impact the risk of developing cognitive
decline or dementia. First of all, there are some things
that we cannot change, and we call those non modifiable
risk factors, and one of those is age. We cannot
(26:25):
change the fact that we are going to get older.
What we do know is that age is the greatest
risk factor and that by the time you're sixty five,
you probably are looking at a one in nine chance
of developing the disease. By the time you're eighty five,
it's a one in three chance. But there are other
things that you also cannot change, and that is your
(26:46):
genetic makeup, your race, your ethnicity, your sex, your gender.
For example, we know that African Americans are twice as
likely to develop the disease as our older white Americans.
Hispanic Latine is one and a half times more likely women.
Two out of every three people living with the disease
is a woman. So those are things we know that
(27:08):
we can't change. But there are some things that we
know can be addressed, and those are what we call
modifiable risk factors. A lot of what you'll hear is
what's good for the heart is good for the head,
and so we know that it's important to exercise. We
know that it's important to watch your diet. We know
that the Mediterranean diet and the Dash diet are good models.
(27:30):
They're working well in deally with heart disease and diabetes.
They also work well in the development of cognitive decline.
Because it's like I said, what's good for the heart
is good for the head. So we look at cognitive
and social engagement. We know that it's good for people
to be around other people, and so we want people
(27:52):
to do that. But there are some things that we
don't necessarily think of that are very, very important that
may impact risk education. And this is beyond just saying
I'm going to do saduko or crossword puzzles to help
keep my brain active.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Right I, what's going to ask you about that?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Yeah, this is actual formal education. We want people to
continue to learn to do new things. So challenge yourself.
If you've never played the violin, try to learn the violin.
If you've never learned a language, go out and try
to learn a new language. There have actually been research
studies that have looked all the way back to childhood
(28:31):
education and how that has then potentially progressed. People with
lower education levels may be at greater risk of developing
the disease. So you're also looking at environmental factors. If
you live in an area where there is a great
deal of stress, there may be violence, there may be pollution.
All of those may have an impact as well.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
There is a lot of information and details to unpack
when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer's, which is why,
once again, if it's an issue you or a family
member are facing, alz dot Org is the website with
all of the resources. Again, my thanks to Laura Byer
and Cindy Shellhorn from the National Capital Area chapter of
(29:15):
the Alzheimer's Association this morning. Any part of the chapter
this morning that you missed or would like to listen
to again, you'll find it on this station's website. Thank
you very much for listening to this iHeartRadio station and
here's switching you very happy holidays.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
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networks we're stereotypes. Don't let anything keep you from discovering
the half of the workforce who are stars workers skill
through alternative rops rather than a bachelor's degree.
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